Carlos Bradberry knew Niagara Falls could compete with the best in the state last season. But, in order to reach Glens Falls, the Wolverines wanted to build a schedule featuring competitive teams as challenges along the way.
Last year, Niagara Falls was granted permission to leave the Niagara Frontier League and play an independent schedule through the 2026-27 season. However, the Wolverines still faced Section VI competition during the regular season and then defeated Lancaster by 30 points in the Class AAA championship, their seventh sectional title in nine years.
But after defeating U-Prep in the state quarterfinal, the physicality from Bay Shore ended Niagara Falls’ season in the state semifinal, one game short of winning its first state championship in 19 years. Now, with a new finalized schedule, the Wolverines are getting set to map out another potential lengthy run in the postseason with a 20-game regular season schedule.
Niagara Falls begins its new season against Ohio’s Jackson High School, an OHSAA regional semifinalist last year, as part of the first night of the Cataract Classic on Dec. 6 at Niagara Falls High School. With 10 players set to return from last season, the excitement level to compete in and out of the state is high.
“They’re excited to go down and prove that they can play with these guys,” Bradberry said. “Because, a lot of times, in Western New York, we’re looked at as a better school but outside of New York State, Western New York, in general, is looked (at) as a weaker product, so, I think our guys are excited. And they want to prove a point that Western New York basketball is really good.”
The contest against the Polar Bears is just the start of the season for the Wolverines. Niagara Falls’ 20 opponents had a combined 352-142 record last season and either won or appeared in a combined eight sectional championship or state tournament contests.
Niagara Falls remains at home through December, starting with a contest against defending Monsignor Martin Class A champion and CHSAA runners-up Bishop Timon on Dec. 7. The Wolverines then played Section III’s Cicero-North Syracuse on Dec. 10 followed by St. Joe’s on Dec. 23.
Niagara Falls continues with eight contests in January, starting with a game versus
Michigan’s Detroit Jesuit on Jan. 3. The Cubs have seven 20-win campaigns since 2010.
The Wolverines are also scheduled to travel out of state twice during the season to Philadelphia on Jan. 24-25 and Baltimore on Feb. 14-15. In Philadelphia, Niagara Falls plays Chester on Jan. 24 and Lower Merion, alma mater of Kobe Bryant, on Jan. 25.
In Baltimore, the Wolverines play at Baltimore City College on Feb. 14, followed by a contest at Edmondson Westside on Feb. 15, who visited Niagara Falls last season and athletic director is former LaSalle star Dewitt Doss. These are two of the six regular-season contests Niagara Falls is slated to play before the Section VI tournament begins.
Similar to last season’s schedule creation, Bradberry researched the teams by himself to find the right matchups ahead of the season. But for this season, Bradberry wanted to expand the reach of the program further by traveling to different cities that play the physicality similar to what Niagara Falls could face again in the state tournament.
“I always wanted to go down to Philadelphia to play because I know they always have some great basketball down that way,” Bradberry said. “The basketball in Baltimore is just unbelievable, so, those are two places that I really wanted to play in. This (is) going to really challenge our guys and then see a lot of a level of basketball that we don’t see this way.”
Along with traveling out of state, Niagara Falls also plays against three programs, who finished runners-up in the sectional tournament. Niagara Falls plays Williamsville East, the Class AA2 runners-up in the Coaches versus Cancer Classic Jan. 20 at Hilbert College, long-time Niagara Frontier League rival and Class AA1 runners-up Lockport on Feb. 1 in the Centercourt Classic and Class A1 runners-up Amherst on Feb. 7.
The Wolverines host Williamsville South, a Class A state quarterfinalist, on Jan. 13, along with an unannounced date with Health Sciences, the section’s Class AA2 runners-up, in January.
When Niagara Falls began its return to independent status last season, Bradberry heard some skepticism in the community at first, with concerns of wins and losses. But, with the full support of superintendent Mark Laurrie and athletic director Joe Contento, Bradberry sees the larger picture to not only compete but also help his players find different avenues.
“They don’t have to sign off on this,” Bradberry said. “They didn’t have to agree with this.
And for them to give our boys a chance and give our program the chance to do this is huge. … I think our boys are very appreciative of our community. I hope (everyone) understands that it’s not something we should take for granted because not a lot of schools get this opportunity.”
